Stowaway teen rescued in Cape Town
2013-02-26 08:47
Cape Town - A Libyan teenager has been rescued from a life
raft after stowing away on a ship which sailed from Ghana to Cape Town.
The Cape Argus reported that the teenager was spotted near Robben Island late on Sunday and
was picked up by the NSRI.
It transpired that the young man had launched a life raft
from the Safmarine ship Cha Chai as it neared Cape Town. The ship is now lying
at anchor in Table Bay.
The 19-year-old was only wearing shorts and had suffered mild dehydration.
The teen was said to be from Jobey in Libya but had snuck
onto the ship in Ghana. It is not clear how he travelled to Ghana. He apparently
told authorities that he had wanted to go to the US as he had family there.
Die Burger named the young man as Charles Mussuah and said he would be leaving on the same
ship that had brought him to Cape Town.
The ship would take him back to Libya.
The department of home affairs told the Cape Times that
taxpayers' money would not be used to deport the teenager, as stowaways are the
responsibility of the ship owners and ship captain.
